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Laval nozzles are used in the CRESU ("Cinétique de Réaction en Écoulement Supersonique Uniforme") method to generate a collimated low temperature (5–200 K), low pressure (30–500 Pa), high Mach number (1 < M < 20) supersonic jet. Laval nozzles have been designed using the Method of Characteristics (MOC) since the development of CRESU, which is an analytical method that assumes inviscid, isentropic flow, and is routinely used to design nozzle profiles for a particular gas and temperature with a uniform shock free exit. This study aims to provide a robust computational framework to overcome the limitations of the MOC while also providing recommendations on the numerical model setup required to model a low-temperature supersonic jet. It also discusses the blockage effects when using the Pitot tube method for flow characterization, the influence of inlet turbulence and reservoir size. Numerical results are validated using two different experimental apparatuses from research groups at the University of Leeds and the University of Birmingham. Finally, a MATLAB framework was developed and has been provided as an open source toolbox to allow any user to perform computational fluid dynamics on any Laval nozzle, with the ability to change nozzle geometry, operating conditions and bath gas. The toolbox has been rigorously tested against many benchmark cases, which shows that steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes with the k-omega-shear stress transport turbulence model can be used to accurately predict global quantities, such as average temperature in the stable region of the supersonic jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are considered pathogenic, whereas immunoglobulin M (IgM) autoantibodies may have protective effects. The aim of this study was to identify whether IgG/IgM autoantibody ratios differ between patients with incomplete systemic lupus erythematosus (iSLE), patients with SLE, and healthy controls (HCs), and whether IgG/IgM autoantibody ratios relate to progression from iSLE to SLE. This prospective cohort study included 34 iSLE patients, 41 SLE patients, and 11 HCs. IgG and IgM anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro52, and anti-Ro60 were measured by fluoro-enzyme immunoassay in serum samples obtained at baseline in all groups and in follow-up samples of up to 5 years for iSLE patients. Correlations between IgG/IgM autoantibody ratios, interferon signature, and clinical parameters were also assessed. At baseline, IgG anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro52, anti-Ro60, and IgM anti-dsDNA were elevated in iSLE and SLE patients. IgG/IgM anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro52 ratios were similar between groups, while IgG/IgM anti-Ro60 ratios were significantly elevated in iSLE and SLE patients compared to HCs. IgG/IgM autoantibody ratios were not correlated with interferon signature or clinical parameters. IgG/IgM ratios at baseline were similar and remained relatively stable during a median follow-up of 18 months in non-progressors and six iSLE patients who progressed to SLE. IgG anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro52, anti-Ro60, and IgM anti-dsDNA were elevated in iSLE and SLE patients, which was not apparent from the respective IgG/IgM ratios only. IgG/IgM autoantibody ratios remained relatively stable over up to 5 years in iSLE non-progressors and six patients who progressed to SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The science of mountainous hydrology spans the atmosphere through the bedrock and inherently crosses physical and disciplinary boundaries: land-atmosphere interactions in complex terrain enhance clouds and precipitation, while watersheds retain and release water over a large range of spatial and temporal scales. Limited observations in complex terrain challenge efforts to improve predictive models of the hydrology in the face of rapid changes. The Upper Colorado River exemplifies these challenges, especially with ongoing mismatches between precipitation, snowpack, and discharge. Consequently, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility has deployed an observatory to the East River Watershed near Crested Butte, Colorado, between September 2021 and June 2023 to measure the main atmospheric drivers of water resources, including precipitation, clouds, winds, aerosols, radiation, temperature, and humidity. This effort, called the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL), is also working in tandem with DOE-sponsored surface and subsurface hydrologists and other federal, state, and local partners. SAIL data can be benchmarks for model development by producing a wide range of observational information on precipitation and its associated processes, including those processes that impact snowpack sublimation and redistribution, aerosol direct radiative effects in the atmosphere and in the snowpack, aerosol impacts on clouds and precipitation, and processes controlling surface fluxes of energy and mass. Preliminary data from SAIL's first year showcase the rich information content in SAIL's many datastreams and support testing hypotheses that will ultimately improve scientific understanding and predictability of Upper Colorado River hydrology in 2023 and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel open-source anisotropic k − ε − v 2 − f model is presented for turbulent viscoelastic duct flow with dilute polymeric solutions described by the finitely extensible nonlinear elastic-Peterlin constitutive model. The turbulence model for channel and square duct flow of Newtonian fluids is adapted to incorporate the polymeric terms within the governing equations. All the required non-linear terms are validated with simple closure models and are assessed a priori against independent direct numerical simulation data in fully developed channel flow. The NLTij term, which accounts for the interaction between fluctuating components of the conformation tensor and the velocity gradient tensor, is modeled with the mean flow direction, ti, and wall-normal, ni, present in the Newtonian model, based on the streamwise alignment of mean polymer stretch. The implicit polymer effects on pressure–strain are assessed with a simple ad hoc closure accounting for the reduced near-wall production of turbulent kinetic energy. The same closure is also adapted for the spanwise Reynolds stress predictions of polymer-enhanced secondary flow. The model performs well in channel flow and captures low, intermediate, and high drag reduction features for a wide range of rheological parameters. The capabilities are extended for square ducts (or any regular polygon) due to the symmetric modeling of the closure models, which can predict the mean streamwise and secondary flow features associated with second normal Reynolds stress differences. Accessible codes and models are crucial for the advancement and improvement of turbulent viscoelastic models, and an OpenFOAM C++ code package is developed and freely available on GitHub (https://github.com/MikeMcDermott-Code/v2f). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profiles of eddy momentum flux divergence are calculated as the residual in the momentum budget constructed from airborne circular dropsonde arrays (∼$$ \sim $$220 km) for 13 days during the EUREC4$$ {}^4 $$A/ATOMIC field campaign. The observed dynamical forcing averaged over all flights agrees broadly with European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) forecasts. In the direction of the flow, a mean flux divergence (friction) exists over a 1.5‐km deep Ekman layer, and a mean flux convergence (acceleration) is present near cloud tops. The friction is countergradient between 1 and 1.5 km, where vertical wind shear exceeds the observed thermal wind. From the frictional profile, a 10‐m momentum flux of ∼$$ \sim $$0.1 N·$$ \cdotp $$m−2$$ {}^{-2} $$ is derived, in line with Saildrone turbulence measurements. A momentum flux divergence in the cross‐wind direction is pronounced near the surface and acts to veer the wind, opposing the friction‐induced cross‐isobaric wind turning. Weaker friction and upper‐level acceleration of easterly flow are observed when stronger winds and more vigorous convection prevail. Turbulence measurements on board the SAFIRE ATR‐42 aircraft and the Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) RAAVEN reveal pronounced spatial variability of momentum fluxes, with a non‐negligible contribution of mesoscales (5–30 km). The findings highlight the nontrivial impact of turbulence, convection, and mesoscale flows in the presence of diverse cloud fields on the depth and strength of the frictional layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Standard surgical treatment of advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma with electrosurgery cannot always result in complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS), especially when many small metastases are found on the mesentery and intestinal surface. We investigated whether adjuvant use of a neutral argon plasma device can help increase the complete cytoreduction rate. Patients and Methods: 327 patients with FIGO stage IIIB–IV epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) who underwent primary or interval CRS were randomized to either surgery with neutral argon plasma (PlasmaJet) (intervention) or without PlasmaJet (control group). The primary outcome was the percentage of complete CRS. The secondary outcomes were duration of surgery, blood loss, number of bowel resections and colostomies, hospitalization, 30-day morbidity, and quality of life (QoL). Results: Complete CRS was achieved in 119 patients (75.8%) in the intervention group and 115 patients (67.6%) in the control group (risk difference (RD) 8.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.021 to 0.181; P = 0.131). In a per-protocol analysis excluding patients with unresectable disease, complete CRS was obtained in 85.6% in the intervention group and 71.5% in the control group (RD 14.1%, 95% CI 0.042 to 0.235; P = 0.005). Patient-reported QoL at 6 months after surgery differed between groups in favor of PlasmaJet surgery (95% CI 0.455–8.350; P = 0.029). Other secondary outcomes did not differ significantly. Conclusions: Adjuvant use of PlasmaJet during CRS for advanced-stage ovarian cancer resulted in a significantly higher proportion of complete CRS in patients with resectable disease and higher QoL at 6 months after surgery. (Funded by ZonMw, Trial Register NL62035.078.17.) Trial Registration: Approved by the Medical Ethics Review Board of the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands, NL62035.078.17 on 20-11-2017. Recruitment started on 30-1-2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of friction in natural joints are still relatively unknown and attempts at modelling cartilage-cartilage interfaces are rare despite the huge promise they offer in understanding bio-friction. This article derives a model combining finite strain, porous and thin-film flow theories to describe the lubrication of cartilage-on-cartilage line contacts. The material is modelled as compliant and poroelastic in which the micro-scale fibrous structure is interstitially filled with synovial fluid. This fluid flows over the interface between the bodies and is coupled to pressure generated by relative motion in the thin-film region formed under load. A Stribeck analysis demonstrated that this type of contact is determinable to conventional elastic lubrication but that the friction performance is improved by this interfacial flow. Moreover, the inclusion of periodic flow conditions when contact is onset is a specific novelty which elucidates new observations in the lubrication mechanisms pertaining to natural joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ monitoring of catalyst nickel atoms by laser induced fluorescence during carbon nanotube formation in a laser-produced plume was performed at the Johnson Space Center nanotube production laboratory. The results indicate that ablation of nickel and plume dynamics are strongly related to the oven temperature. Nickel atoms have a long lifetime of several milliseconds and have an electronic temperature of at least 1500 K during carbon nanotube formation. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most important goal for survival benefit of advanced stage ovarian cancer is to surgically remove all visible tumour, because complete cytoreductive surgery (CCS) has been shown to be associated with prolonged survival. In a remarkable number of women, CCS is very challenging. Especially in women with many small metastases on the peritoneum and intestinal surface, conventional CCS with electrosurgery is not able to be "complete" in removing safely all visible tumour. In this randomized controlled trail (RCT) we investigate whether the use of the PlasmaJet Surgical Device increases the rate of CCS, and whether this indeed leads to a longer progression free and overall survival. The main research question is: does the use of the PlasmaJet Surgical Device in surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer result in an increased number of complete cytoreductive surgeries when compared with conventional surgical techniques. Secondary study objectives are: 30-day morbidity, duration of surgery, blood loss, length of hospitalisation, Quality of Life, disease-free survival, overall survival, percentage colostomy, cost-effectiveness.Methods: The study design is a multicentre single-blinded superiority RCT in two university and nine non-university hospitals in The Netherlands. Three hundred and thirty women undergoing cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage ovarian carcinoma (FIGO Stage IIIB-IV) will be randomized into two arms: use of the PlasmaJet (intervention group) versus the use of standard surgical instruments combined with electrocoagulation (control group). The primary outcome is the rate of complete cytoreductive surgery in both groups. Secondary study objectives are: 30-day morbidity, duration of surgery, blood loss, length of hospitalisation, Quality of Life, disease-free survival, overall survival, percentage colostomy, cost-effectiveness. Quality of life will be evaluated using validated questionnaires at baseline, at 1 and 6 months after surgery and at 1, 2, 3 and 4 years after surgery.Discussion: We hypothesize the additional value of the use of the PlasmaJet in CCS for advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer. More knowledge about efficacy, side effects, recurrence rates, cost effectiveness and pathology findings after using the PlasmaJet Device is advocated. This RCT may aid in this void.Trial Registration: Dutch Trial Register NTR6624 . Registered 18 August 2017. Medical Ethical Committee approval number: NL62035.078.17 (Medical Ethical Committee Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heterogeneous multiscale model for discrete cell gravure roll coating is presented along with experimental results for the purpose of model validation. The cell volume, generalized cell shape, and the gravure patterning are considered in the model which is based on a multiscale description of the flow in the coating bead. The inclusion of a web-to-roll contact term accounts for the special gravure case when the web-roll separation tends to zero. The results show how the coating bead responds to changes in operating conditions. These are presented as profile plots of the fluid properties and coating bead shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents details of the University of Colorado (CU) Pilatus unmanned research aircraft, assembled to provide measurements of aerosols, radiation and thermodynamics in the lower troposphere. This aircraft has a wingspan of 3.2 m and a maximum take off weight of 25 kg and is powered by an electric motor to reduce engine exhaust and concerns about carburetor icing. It carries instrumentation to make measurements of broadband up- and downwelling shortwave and longwave radiation, aerosol particle size distribution, atmospheric temperature, relative humidity and pressure and to collect video of flights for subsequent analysis of atmospheric conditions during flight. In order to make the shortwave radiation measurements, care was taken to carefully position a high-quality compact inertial measurement unit (IMU) and characterize the attitude of the aircraft and it's orientation to the upward looking radiation sensor. Using measurements from both of these sensors, a correction is applied to the raw radiometer measurements to correct for aircraft attitude and sensor tilt relative to the sun. The data acquisition system was designed from scratch based on a set of key driving requirements to accommodate the variety of sensors deployed. Initial test flights completed in Colorado provide promising results with measurements from the radiation sensors agreeing with those from a nearby surface site. Additionally, estimates of surface albedo from onboard sensors were consistent with local surface conditions, including melting snow and bright runway surface. Aerosol size distributions collected are internally consistent and have previously been shown to agree well with larger, surface-based instrumentation. Finally the atmospheric state measurements evolve as expected, with the near-surface atmosphere warming over time as the day goes on, and the atmospheric relative humidity decreasing with increased temperature. No directional bias on measured temperature, as might be expected due to uneven heating of the sensor housing over the course of a racetrack pattern, was detected. The results from these flights indicate that the CU Pilatus platform is capable of performing research grade lower tropospheric measurement missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dutch Wadden Sea is a region of intertidal flats located between the chain of Wadden Islands and the Dutch mainland. We present numerical model results on the tidal prisms and residual flows through the tidal inlets and across one of the main watersheds. The model also provides insight into the pathways of fresh water originating from the two sluices at the Afsluitdijk (enclosure dike) through the use of passive tracers. All these results are obtained from three-dimensional numerical simulations carried out with the General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM), at a horizontal resolution of 200m and with terrain-following vertical coordinates with 30 layers. We concentrate on the years 2009-2010, for which we impose meteorological forcing, freshwater discharge, and boundary conditions for tidal forcing and storm surges. Results from the model show an excellent agreement with various observational data sets for sea surface height, temperature, salinity and transport through the Texel Inlet. The simulations show that although tides are responsible for a characteristic pattern of residual transport through the inlets, the wind imposes a large variability on its magnitude and can even invert its direction during strong southwesterly winds. Even though these events are sporadic, they play an important role in the flushing of the Dutch Wadden Sea, as they strongly diminish the flushing time of fresh water. In addition, wind can force a residual transport across the Terschelling watershed of the same order, if not larger, than through any of the main tidal inlets, despite the fact that its tidal prism is much smaller than any of those of the inlets. For the pathways of fresh water, the Terschelling watershed turns out to be more important than was previously thought, while the opposite holds for the Vlie Inlet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February and March of 2011, the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was deployed over the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic during the WISPAR field campaign. The WISPAR science missions were designed to: (1) improve our understanding of Pacific weather systems and the polar atmosphere; (2) evaluate operational use of unmanned aircraft for investigating these atmospheric events; and (3) demonstrate operational and research applications of a UAS dropsonde system at high latitudes. Dropsondes deployed from the Global Hawk successfully obtained high-resolution profiles of temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind information between the stratosphere and surface. The 35m wingspan Global Hawk, which can soar for ~31 h at altitudes up to ~ 20 km, was remotely operated from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB in California. During the 25 h polar flight on 9-10 March 2011, the Global Hawk released 35 sondes between the North Slope of Alaska and 85° N latitude marking the first UAS Arctic dropsonde mission of its kind. The polar flight transected an unusually cold polar vortex, notable for an associated record-level Arctic ozone loss, and documented polar boundary layer variations over a sizable ocean-ice lead feature. Comparison of dropsonde observations with atmospheric reanalyses reveal that for this day, large-scale structures such as the polar vortex and air masses are captured by the reanalyses, while smaller-scale features, including low-level jets and inversion depths, are mischaracterized. The successful Arctic dropsonde deployment demonstrates the capability of the Global Hawk to conduct operations in harsh, remote regions. The limited comparison with other measurements and reanalyses highlights the value of Arctic atmospheric dropsonde observations where routine in situ measurements are practically non-existent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations were carried out in a highresolution two-dimensional framework to increase our understanding of aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase stratiform clouds. Aerosol characteristics explored include insoluble particle type, soluble mass fraction, influence of aerosolinduced freezing point depression and influence of aerosol number concentration. Simulations were analyzed with a focus on the processes related to liquid phase microphysics, and ice formation was limited to droplet freezing. Of the aerosol properties investigated, aerosol insoluble mass type and its associated freezing efficiency was found to be most relevant to cloud lifetime. Secondary effects from aerosol soluble mass fraction and number concentration also alter cloud characteristics and lifetime. These alterations occur via various mechanisms, including changes to the amount of nucleated ice, influence on liquid phase precipitation and ice riming rates, and changes to liquid droplet nucleation and growth rates. Alteration of the aerosol properties in simulations with identical initial and boundary conditions results in large variability in simulated cloud thickness and lifetime, ranging from rapid and complete glaciation of liquid to the production of long-lived, thick stratiform mixed-phase cloud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations were carried out in a high-resolution two dimensional frame-work to increase our understanding of aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase stratiform clouds. Aerosol characteristics explored include insoluble particle type, soluble mass fraction, the influence of aerosol-induced freezing point depression and the influence of aerosol number concentration. These experiments were completed with an emphasis on the liquid phase, with droplet freezing the mechanism for ice production. Of the aerosol properties investigated, aerosol insoluble mass type and its associated freezing efficiency was found to be most relevant to cloud lifetime. Secondary effects from aerosol soluble mass fraction and number concentration also alter cloud characteristics and lifetime. These alterations occur via various mechanisms, including changes to the amount of nucleated ice, influence on liquid phase precipitation and ice riming rates, and changes to liquid droplet growth rates. Simulation of the same environment leads to large variability of cloud thickness and lifetime, ranging from rapid and complete glaciation of the cloud to the production of a long-lived, thick stratiform mixed-phase cloud. In the end, these processes are summarized into a diagram that includes internal feedback loops that act within the cloud system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements from ground-based cloud radar, high spectral resolution lidar and microwave radiometer are used in conjunction with a column version of the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model (RRTMG) and radiosonde measurements to derive the surface radiative properties under mixedphase cloud conditions. These clouds were observed during the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mixed-Phase Arctic Clouds Experiment (M-PACE) between September and November of 2004. In total, sixteen half hour time periods are reviewed due to their coincidence with radiosonde launches. Cloud liquid (ice) water paths are found to range between 11.0-366.4 (0.5-114.1) gm-2, and cloud physical thicknesses fall between 286-2075 m. Combined with temperature and hydrometeor size estimates, this information is used to calculate surface radiative flux densities using RRTMG, which are demonstrated to generally agree with measured flux densities from surface-based radiometric instrumentation. Errors in longwave flux density estimates are found to be largest for thin clouds, while shortwave flux density errors are generally largest for thicker clouds. A sensitivity study is performed to understand the impact of retrieval assumptions and uncertainties on derived surface radiation estimates. Cloud radiative forcing is calculated for all profiles, illustrating longwave dominance during this time of year, with net cloud forcing generally between 50 and 90Wm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the implementation of a new dispersion relation and energy-dissipation equation obtained from a viscous two-layer model schematization in the state-of-the-art wave forecasting model SWAN to simulate wave damping in coastal areas by fluid mud deposits. This new dispersion relation is derived for a nonviscous, nonhydrostatic upper layer and a viscous, hydrostatic lower layer, covering most conditions encountered in nature. An algorithm is developed for a robust numerical solution of this new implicit dispersion relation through proper starting values in the iteration procedure. The implementation is tested against a series of analytical solutions and three schematic test cases. Next, four dispersion relations published in the literature are evaluated and compared with the new dispersion relation. The solution of the dispersion relations forms a multidimensional space. Comparison of the various model solutions through one-dimensional graphs can therefore become quite misleading, as shown in the discussion of a two-dimensional representation of the solution space, explaining for instance the variation in ambient conditions at which maximum wave damping is to be expected. The various models have been developed for a variety of conditions, such as shallow and deep water and shallow and thick mud layers; the various models agree well in their domain of applicability, but they show significant deviations when used outside their domain. Because the ambient and mud conditions may vary considerable in space and time at a particular site, the use of the new model is advocated because it covers most water depths and fluid mud thicknesses encountered in nature. The strength of the new SWAN-mud model lies in its large-scale applicability, assessing the two-dimensional evolution of wave fields in coastal areas. Therefore, the new implementation is evaluated with respect to the behavior of waves on a sloping seabed, representing real-world coasts. In all cases, the new SWAN-mud model behaves satisfactorily; a critical remaining issue, though, is the assessment of the relevant fluid mud parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A suite of ground-based measurements are used in conjunction with a column version of the Rapid Radiative Transfer Model (RRTMG) to derive the cloud radiative forcing of mixed-phase stratiform clouds observed during the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mixed-Phase Arctic Clouds Experiment (M-PACE) between September and November of 2004. In total, sixteen half hour time periods are reviewed due to their coincidence with radiosonde launches. Cloud liquid (ice) water paths are found to range between 11.0-366.4 (0.5-114.1) gm², and cloud physical thicknesses fall between 286-2075m. Combined with temperature and hydrometeor size estimates, this information is used to calculate surface radiative fluxes using RRTMG, which are demonstrated to generally agree with measured fluxes from surface-based radiometric instrumentation. Errors in longwave flux estimates are found to be largest for thin clouds, while shortwave flux errors are generally largest for thicker clouds. Cloud radiative forcing is calculated for all profiles, and illustrates the dominance of the longwave component during this time of year, with net cloud forcing generally between 50 and 90Wm-2. Finally, sensitivity of calculated surface fluxes to droplet effective radius, surface albedo and surface temperature are tested, with changes in minimum droplet size between 3.5 and 10 µm altering the surface shortwave flux by up to 50Wm-2, and changes in surface albedo between 0.5 and 0.95 altering surface shortwave fluxes by up to 85Wm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of a new HBsAg screening assay, the Hepanostika HBsAg Ultra is based on the use of monoclonal antibodies raised against native wild-type HBsAg and reactive with HBsAg in which the common ‘a’-determinant is modified by site-directed mutagenesis of four of the cysteine moieties. The design was checked using the same cysteine variants and samples from patients known to be infected with HBsAg variants. The results found were compared with other state-of-the-art commercial screening assays. The design of the Hepanostika HBsAg Ultra enabled detection of all variant HBsAg-positive samples in contrast to the other commercial assays. An additional 980 samples were tested to assess the specificity and sensitivity of the Hepanostika HBsAg Ultra. Screening of presumed negative serum and plasma samples resulted in a specificity of 100%. This makes the Hepanostika HBsAg Ultra the first screening assay with a design able to detect HBsAg variants with high sensitivity and specificity. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the change in the free/total prostate specific antigen ratio (f/tPSA) with time and to assess the potential value of serial measurements of f/tPSA as a determinant of disease progression in untreated, low-to-intermediate grade prostate cancer (T1b-T2b N0M0, Gleason score <= 7 and PSA <= 15 ng/mL). Patients and methods In a prospective single-arm cohort study from November 1995, patients were conservatively managed with watchful observation alone unless they met arbitrarily defined criteria (clinical, histological and biochemical) of disease progression. Patients were followed regularly and underwent blood tests including PSA and f/tPSA. The initial and mean f/tPSA and the rate of change of f/tPSA with time were evaluated against the rate constant for the PSA doubling time (PSATd). Correlation analyses were used to evaluate any association between baseline clinical variables and either the rate of change of f/tPSA or initial f/tPSA. Results As of December 2000, 161 of a total of 206 accrued patients had three or more f/tPSA measurements and formed the basis of the study (median age 70 years; median follow-up 2.7 years). The median initial f/tPSA was 0.16; there was a significant negative correlation between this value and the initial total PSA. The mean f/tPSA and rate of change of f/tPSA with time were significantly negatively correlated with the rate constant for PSATd. Also, the rate of change of f/tPSA correlated negatively with clinical T stage, but not with other baseline variables, including initial PSA, age and Gleason score. Conclusion The f/tPSA in men with untreated, clinically localized prostate cancer varied widely. The negative correlation between the rate of change of f/tPSA with time and rate constant for PSATd suggests that both might provide valuable information to allow clinicians to develop a strategy for optimizing the timing of therapeutic intervention for those patients choosing watchful observation alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study to demonstrate vincristine-induced apoptosis in vivo in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). In five children, apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay in blood samples collected during an up-front window study of vincristine monotherapy. In one patient, we found a striking increase of apoptotic cells from 2% (SEM 0·6) before to 40·7% (SEM 2·9) 3 h after vincristine injection. In the other patients, the maximum increase ranged from 0·8% to 4·3%. Wilcoxon matched pairs analysis of all patients confirmed that vincristine induces apoptosis in vivo in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in childhood ALL (P = 0·043). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We studied vincristine disposition after 169 weekly i.v. bolus injections in 32 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or Wilms' tumor. The aim of the study was to determine intrapatient and interpatient variability in vincristine disposition and demographic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics influencing this variability. Methods: Vincristine plasma concentrations were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatography assay with electrochemical detection. A limited sampling strategy was used based on a bayesian parameter estimation algorithm that is part of the ADAPT II software package. A two-compartment, first-order model was fitted to the data, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated from the model using the ADAPT II software. For statistical analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), t test, simple and multiple regression analysis, and non-parametric or robust equivalents were used. Results: Results showed a large intrapatient and interpatient variability in distribution half-life, elimination half-life, total body clearance, apparent volume of distribution at steady state, and area under the concentration–time curve. Intrapatient variability was significantly smaller than interpatient variability for all these parameters except distribution half-life. The diagnosis or treatment protocol turned out to be the most predictive characteristic; leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients had a significantly higher total body clearance than Wilms' tumor patients. Conclusions: We conclude that both intrapatient and interpatient variability in vincristine pharmacokinetics is large in pediatric cancer patients and that variability, although significantly influenced by diagnosis, largely remains unpredictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyphae formed in soil by the vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe were extracted using the membrane filter techniqe and their length was estimated by the grid intersection method. The effect of phosphorus on the formation of this external mycelium was assessed after sampling procedures had been investigated. Phosphorus supply was varied from amounts severely deficient to those adequate for the growth of subterranean clover. After 6 weeks, the alleviation of severe phosphorus deficiency increased both the length of infected root and the length of external hyphae per centimetre of infected root, Further additions of phosphorus decreased both of these measurements. However, the level of added phosphorus at which the most external hyphae was formed per centimetre of infected root was higher than the level of phosphorus which gave the greatest length of infected root. The increase in phosphorus supply which gave the greatest increase in the length of external hyphae per centimetre of infected root also decreased the formation of vesicles within infected roots. At phosphate levels adequate for growth of mycorrhizal plants, there was little development of either external hyphae in soil or vesicles within the mycorrhizal roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anatomy of haemopoietic cells in human fetal liver was examined using immunohistological techniques on frozen sections of 31 fetuses (10 28 weeks gestational age). The immunohistological findings were consistent with reported cell suspension data. With regard to the location of haemopoietic activity no particular relationship existed between the various haemopoietic cell lineages. A large number of proliferating cells was present; only a few of these were reactive with haemopoietic progenitor cell monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) CD34. A population of haemopoietic cells expressed CD43 antigen (MoAb MT1) alone or together with anti-vimentin MoAb reactivity; this population needs further delineation. Erythropoiesis and myelopoiesis occurred in clusters around sinusoids and portal triad vessels respectively. Lack of MoAb reacting exclusively with early developmental stages of erythropoiesis and myelopoiesis precluded dissection of these lineages. Lymphopoiesis occurred in a loosely scattered pattern without any sign of focal development. Pre-B and B-cell numbers increased with gestational age. Cells expressing markers of more mature B cells (surface IgD. CD35, and CD21) were rare. Also, few cells reacted with mature T-cell markers, but CD7+ cells were obviously present. This expression of CD7 on haemopoietic fetal liver cells suggests that T-cell precursors develop in fetal liver as well as B cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were conducted to evaluate DTPA as an extractant of available soil Fe and to establish interpretive guides. A critical level of 6 ppm DTPA‐extractable soil Fe correctly predicted Fe deficiency of field grown plants at 11 of 13 locations. In a greenhouse experiment increased yields of sorghum from treatments that increased soil Fe availability were correctly predicted on 13 of 14 soils by a critical level of 5 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]